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What is "makeweight"

Crossword clues for makeweight

makeweight
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Makeweight

Makeweight \Make"weight`\, n. That which is thrown into a scale to make weight; something of little account added to supply a deficiency or fill a gap.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
makeweight

also make-weight, 1690s, "small quantity of something added to make the total reach a certain weight," from make (v.) + weight.\n\nMAKE WEIGHT. A small candle: a term applied to a little slender man.

[Grose, "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," London, 1785]

Wiktionary
makeweight

n. 1 Something of inferior quality which is included in a shipment to make up the weight. 2 Something included to add to the apparent weight or force of a argument.

WordNet
makeweight

  1. n. anything added to fill out a whole; "some of the items in the collection are mere makeweights" [syn: filler]

  2. a weight added to the scale to reach a required weight

Usage examples of "makeweight".

There was a circumstance, just after we came on board this evening, that is extremely suspicious, and which may be set down at once as a makeweight against this lad.

I was invited as a makeweight for the odd girl or whether she was brought to counterbalance me.

Or did some other genius set it off and you just threw me in as a makeweight to make sure you got your share of the glory?

But there are heavy duties, deep responsibilities, and much true heart-felt anxiety to stand as makeweight against all these sweets.

Twenty-two electoral votes added point to the showing, for hitherto, since 1860, third-party votes had been so scattered that they had affected the choice of President only as a makeweight between other parties in closely contested States.

For a minute, with the familiar shoptalk, he almost had the vision he was back at headquarters in a real job, not this makeweight piddling business, and under KeUeher too .

All that was eaten afterwards was literally, with them, pure makeweight, though they kept a hungry look to the last.

These uncharitable thoughts she proposed to confess, as usual, to Father Clare, together with one or two other specific but undetailed sins of a venial nature which she customarily added as makeweight in case Father Clare should think her confession lacking in Christian humility, but, beyond all this, which was pure routine, there was nothing, and yet she could not sleep.